Pumping high-performance gas back into the series after a second lap sputter, third entry stays in high gear most of the way with several exhilarating racing sequences, and benefits greatly from the evocative Japanese setting.

The director also makes a nod to Japan's rich history of genre filmmaking by casting action legend J. J. Sonny Chiba as a cigar-smoking yakuza. Chiba's presence momentarily classes up a passable youths-ploitation flick into a transcendent piece of movie trash.

This movie is hilarious - the most I've laughed in the past six months. It starts out completely ridiculous and only gets more so, This movie is hilarious - the most I've laughed in the past six months. It starts out completely ridiculous and only gets more so, approaching the level of sheer one-dimensional unbelievability within the first two minutes. Hundreds of busty girls, Japanese who don't speak a drop of Japanese, evil mobsters, and hundreds of Maaad Driiifts - this is what makes American cinema great. Every conventional gauge of a good movie fails, but that;s where it suceeds - its so goddarn awful that its incredibly perfect. No joke, Tokyo Drift exceeded every expectation I had, and they were all pretty high.…Expand

Everything I wanted in a F&F movie and my pick of the three for being the most watchable. Sure, it often treads into "beyond retarded" realm Everything I wanted in a F&F movie and my pick of the three for being the most watchable. Sure, it often treads into "beyond retarded" realm where the entire premise of the plot is ridiculous (kid goes to a Japanese school when he can't speak Japanese? The Yakuza race sports cars and somehow make money off it without any apparent source? The kid's dad lives in the smallest apartment imaginable, but has an enormous garage that's loaded? Japanese people can't speak Japanese?), and the portrayal of Japanese youth culture is offensive to at least a few people, but do you really care that much? If the answer's yes, there's no point watching, but if you manage to suspend all disbelief of anything ever resembling reality, it's actually pretty fun. There are cars that drive fast, attractive people all over the place, and a lot of dumb action. It all just looks damned cool as it's happening, and I think it does just as well as the other two in that regard--which is the only good reason you'd want to see this to begin with.…Expand

Stereotypes are bad, even if your lot is perceived to be smart. Like "Better Luck Tomorrow", this filmmaker's aim is to strip Asian Stereotypes are bad, even if your lot is perceived to be smart. Like "Better Luck Tomorrow", this filmmaker's aim is to strip Asian youth of their brainiac reputation. He accomplishes this by taking an unintended potshot at hip hop culture, and American youth culture, in general. By day, a Japanese girl dons her school uniform; by night, she busts out her hoochie clothes. What's also interesting to me is how Sean's a school outcast back in the states, but to Han, he's some sort of trophy friend. On one level, "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" works as a fun melding of "Smokey and the Bandit" and "Lost in Translation", and on a more thoughtful level, this film plays like a social commentary on how the youth of Japan are changing. Ultimately, what makes this film a guilty pleasure is how the filmmaker rebuffs movie cliches with "fish out of water" and a "change of scenery will straighten you out" storylines. Sean doesn't look sad and lonely as he walks the Tokyo streets, and he doesn't learn a damn thing throughout the entire film.…Expand

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is decent, stoopid, lunk-headed fun. All sense of realism ditched? Check. Vaguely offensive stereotypesThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is decent, stoopid, lunk-headed fun. All sense of realism ditched? Check. Vaguely offensive stereotypes employed? Check. An obvious 30 year old actor trying to pass as a high-school student? Check. Yakuza boss hilariously dressed up as a character out of The Godfather? Check. Oh dear. This film is so tacky and bad that it actually winds up being kind of fun.…Expand

Average. Hollywood. Formula. Fast blurred action sequences. Cliche. Did I mention formula? The only saving graces of this film are the hot Average. Hollywood. Formula. Fast blurred action sequences. Cliche. Did I mention formula? The only saving graces of this film are the hot japanese women, a few funny one-lines, the lack of reality in some of the sequences, and the appearance of the TRUE drift king!…Expand